How Losing a Dream Client Fueled a Major Marketing Shift

 I joined Kristi Mitchell on Imperfect Marketing to talk about the biggest marketing mistake I made early in my business: relying entirely on my agency's brand instead of building my own.

What happened that made me realize I needed my own personal brand?

I was on a familiarization trip in Cabo when a well-known local business owner was looking for a travel advisor. I reached out through her assistant, sure I had it in the bag. She went with another agency instead, one whose brand actually matched hers. I spent a weekend building my own website from scratch after I got home.

Why did I finally leave my agency to launch my own?

It came down to a slow, year-long realization that I was pushing up against the limits of someone else's vision. I loved leading and mentoring my team, but I had a different direction I wanted to take the brand, one that was bolder and more authentically me than the subdued style my agency presented.

What specifically cost me that Cabo client?

I was just a small square photo on someone else's website with no real online presence of my own. My content had no strategy behind it either, I was posting whatever came to mind without knowing who I was actually speaking to.

How did I figure out who my ideal client actually was?

It took time and a lot of trial and error. Once I started working with enough people, I could finally tell who I wanted more of and who wasn't the right fit, and that clarity completely changed how I showed up in my marketing.

What's my biggest piece of advice after everything I've been through?

Resiliency is everything. I lost my entire business to COVID with nothing I could have done differently, and I rebuilt it. Things will burn down through no fault of your own, and that's okay, it's what makes you better in the long run.